Main opposition Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae has blasted President Yoon Suk Yeol for not attending the opening of the 22nd National Assembly in September and for having the prime minister read the annual budget speech to parliament on Monday.

At a party meeting Tuesday, Park said Yoon is the most “cowardly and shameless”  president since the country's democratization, saying it was the first time in eleven years that a prime minister delivered a budget speech on a president’s behalf. 

He said the proposed budget for 2025 would cut taxes for the ultra-rich, worsen the fiscal deficit, and reduce the availability of disaster relief funds.

The floor leader called Yoon the "least communicative president," adding that the president continues to disregard the public’s concerns amid allegations that the first couple interfered in the nomination process for a June 2022 by-election.

The floor leader said ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon’s calls for an apology from the president, along with a personnel sweep, are not enough to soothe the public’s anger.

Park called for a special counsel investigation targeting first lady Kim Keon-hee.